Punk rock stalwarts Swingin’ Utters were back in Vegas earlier this month, playing the Beauty Bar with Western Settings and locals Franks & Deans and Mercy Music.
The Utters have gone through more lineup changes than any of their 90s Fat Wreck brethren and because of this, their style has remained fresh and their live shows quite varied. This time around, longtime vocalist Johnny “Peebucks” Bonnel and guitarist Darius Koski were backed by Luke Swarm (drums) and Tony Teixeira (bass), both previously of Cobra Skulls, for a set that included such fan favorites as “Kick It Over,” “The Librarians Are Hiding Something” and “Untitled 21.”
A nice surprise of the night was the response Western Settings received. The San Diego punk band has hit Vegas – and the Beauty Bar, specifically, quite a bit over the past few years and this persistence has gained them a loyal Vegas following who were eager to sing along to tracks like “Episodes” and “Old Pain.”
The sun was down by the temperatures still high when local openers Franks & Deans and Mercy Music hit the stage. An early highlight of the show came when F&D brought Mercy Music frontman Brendan Scholz on stage for some Social Distortion-inspired shredding.
-Emily Matview
Photos by Aaron Mattern | https://www.flickr.com/photos/akmofoto/
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